Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, also issued a statement affirming the ruling that struck down most restrictions on abortion in the U.S.

Read their statements after the jump…

From Sen. Marco Rubio: “Today marks the tragic anniversary of one of America’s most blatant instances of judicial activism that paved the way for the destruction of innocent unborn life. Since this decision, tens of millions of our nation’s unborn babies have been denied the chance to celebrate a birthday, begin kindergarten or go on to contribute their God-given talents to our world.

“As a U.S. senator, I am privileged to serve in a position that allows me to fight for the lives of the unborn. I will continue to fulfill my duty to fight to reduce the number of abortions. As with many of our nation’s most important debates, the battlefield of this issue is in the hearts and minds of the American electorate, and I pray that we can one day live in a society that fully cherishes every life from conception until death.”

From U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach:“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade and the freedom of choice that this historic decision provides to all women in America. This is a very personal and private choice. When I gave birth to my son Ben, it was the most precious moment of my life. His life has brought me great joys and great responsibilities. The decision to bring Ben into this world was made by his father and myself. It was our choice. We didn’t call our governor and we didn’t call the Congress. It was our choice.

“So today I proudly honor the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and thank those who have fought so bravely to ensure that women have the right to make those life-changing personal decisions that affect them and their families. As we celebrate we must be mindful that there is more work to be done to protect reproductive choices for our daughters and granddaughters. Thank you, and I yield back my time.”

From U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar:“Roe v. Wade is critically important to America’s legal history, because it set precedent by confirming that the constitutionally protected right to privacy includes every woman’s right to make her own reproductive health decisions.

“Unfortunately, women across this nation have continued to find that these rights are constantly being challenged. This was clearly the case with the recent Presidential election, where a great deal of emphasis was placed on attacking a woman’s right to choose.

“Protecting and expanding these rights remains a battle. I believe that the decision to continue or terminate a pregnancy is between a woman, her family and doctor, based on her values and circumstances, and should be made free from pressure and coercion. It is for this reason that I remain committed to upholding the constitutional right of women to make reproductive health decisions about their own body.”